1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of storage containers, more particularly, storage containers configured to hold and store dental or medical instruments such as endodontic files and other tools.
2. The Relevant Technology
When engaging in dental procedures, it is important that the dental instruments employed do not introduce infection into the mouth of the patient. Avoiding the introduction of microorganisms to the area of a tooth being treated is particularly important when performing root canal therapy since infections cause significant problems in root canals.
As part of the root canal therapy, the practitioner typically employs endodontic files to remove infected material from the root canal. Endodontic files typically comprise a thin distal insertion end and a proximal gripping end held by a practitioner or inserted into mechanical instruments such as a drill. The thin distal insertion end is often a delicate flexible tip with sharp edges configured to clean the root canal.
To reduce the possibility of causing infection while performing an endodontic procedure, it is vital that the endodontic files and other dental instruments be maintained in a disinfected environment before and during use. In light of this need for sterility, a variety of different disinfecting dental instrument containers have been developed.
For example, certain containers contain magnetized inner surfaces configured for holding the metallic instruments in a desired placement, such as, for example, immersed within a sterilizing solution. One problem with magnetized containers, however, is that they may only be employed to maintain certain metal instruments. In particular, magnetic containers cannot successfully be employed to maintain a plastic instrument in a desired position. Endodontic files, for example, often include non-metallic proximal gripping ends. Furthermore, containers made from certain metals can become corroded through contact with certain disinfecting solutions. Additionally, use of metal containers can also be disadvantageous due to their relative weight and cost, which may prevent their use on a disposable basis.
Other containers include a well or reservoir for containing both a sterilizing solution and an instrument completely immersed in the solution. However, such reservoirs typically fail to maintain a portion of the dental instrument outside of the reservoir. Thus, when a practitioner desires to grasp the dental instrument, the practitioner must immerse the practitioner""s fingers or another dental instrument into the sanitary solution, potentially permitting infectious material to pollute the solution.
Yet other containers are configured with complex structures containing a variety of reservoirs, ports and apertures for the placement of solution and instruments. The formation of the compartmentalized reservoirs, however, requires molding and extrusion processes that can be expensive and complex. In addition, these containers often require the dental instruments to be placed in a specific hole or in a hole selected from a specific series of holes. These containers can be inconvenient to use when it is necessary to ensure that the instruments are placed within in the appropriate holes of the container.
Another problem encountered by existing containers is that, if they are not held in an upright position, the solution within the container may spill out of the container. This is a significant problem for containers that are not very stable and that have a tendency to tip over, such as, for example containers that are tall and narrow and dimensioned to hold long, narrow dental instruments. Lids that are hingedly connected to the main storage container can be unstable. For instance, when a container is opened, by pivoting the corresponding lid to one side of the container, the container can become unbalanced and at risk of tipping over and spilling its contents.
However, if the lid is completely removed from the container when opened, it may become misplaced or lost during use. However, existing containers used to store endodontic instruments are often not configured with lids that can be attached to the containers, while simultaneously providing stability for holding the container in an upright position. This is particularly true when the container is opened, during use, which is when stability of the container is most important for preventing the contents of the container from being spilled.
Yet another problem within many existing sterilizing containers is that they do not allow a practitioner to remove debris from the instruments placed within the containers. Instead, relatively large pieces of debris may remain on the instrument when placed in a sterilizing solution, thereby hampering the sterilization process.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, there is currently a need in the art for improved containers configured for maintaining dental instruments in aseptic conditions. There is also a substantial need for such a container that is configured for being opened and held in a stable upright position while being connected to the lid.
Briefly summarized, presently preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to improved containers configured for holding dental instruments. The containers of the invention generally include a lid configured for closing the container during nonuse and for stabilizing the container in an upright position during use.
According to one presently preferred embodiment, the containers of the invention comprise a rectilinear body and a lid configured to be attached to the body. The body generally includes a bottom, an open ended top, and four sidewalls extending from the bottom to the open-ended top. The body is hollow and defines a cavity that is accessible through the open-ended top. The body and the lid are configured in such a manner that the lid can be securely attached to the body in two different positions. The first position is at the top of the body and the second position is at the bottom of the body.
The lid is placed in the first position over the open-ended top of the body during periods of nonuse. In the first position, the lid engages the four sidewalls and generally closes the container. According to one embodiment, the container also includes tape that is wrapped around the lid and the body in such a manner as to completely seal the container closed. The tape is preferably configured for reuse for iteratively resealing the lid to the body.
The lid is placed in the second position over the bottom of the body during periods of use. In the second position, the lid is placed upside down with the bottom of the body inserted within the lid. While in the second position, the lid engages the four sidewalls of the body and generally holds the container in an upright position. By attaching the lid to the container during use it is far less likely that the lid will be misplaced. The lid also provides stabilizing support to the container. In particular, according to one embodiment, the lid is somewhat flared so that when it is placed upside down on a planar surface the flared top of the lid provides greater surface area and increased stability to the container than would otherwise provided by the bottom of the container. The flared lid also facilitates removal of the lid from the first and second positions. The lid can also be weighted to further provide stability to the container when the lid is placed in the second position.
According to one embodiment, the container may include a foam material (e.g., an open cell foam) that is housed within the cavity and that is configured for receiving and supporting dental instruments within the cavity of the body. The structure of the foam material enables the dental instruments to be inserted within any desired portion of the cavity of the body.
According to yet another embodiment, a disinfecting solution may be contained within the container, which is advantageously absorbed within an open cell foam material or contained beneath the foam material (e.g., either an open cell or closed cell material) so that it can disinfect the dental instruments when they are inserted within the cavity of the container.
The container may also be autoclavable if desired to further provide assistance in disinfecting the dental instruments contained within the container. Examples of autoclavable materials include stainless steel, high temperature plastics, and ceramics.
In order to enable the dental practitioner to view the dental instruments without having to open the container, the lid and the body can be composed of a transparent material.
These and other benefits, advantages and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.